What Do The Critics Say?
"Hathaway, who does a spot of singing, is excellent, but Eisenberg is the star. Divorced from his physical presence, his voice is inherently cute and comical - perfect for this medium. Tracy Morgan of 30 Rock fame is also tremendously funny as a drooling bulldog. Saldanha has proven himself with the Ice Age trio of films, and the animal characterisations here are just as strong. Rio is also visually superior. Full of colour, life and humour, it's a story about freedom and love and it soars."
Annette Basile FILMINK
"A fun, carnival atmosphere permeates through Rio, but it's not afraid to be a bit dark and menacing to shake things up. There are some thrilling sequences, too. Notably a jailbreak involving the two macaws and airborne moments when Blu is getting to grips with his wings. Rio is a lively and engaging film set in a beautifully-rendered landscape - it's well worth shelling out extra for those pesky 3D glasses!"
Simon Reynolds DIGITAL SPY
"Birds of a feather samba together in the latest animation, which finds a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota shipped off to Brazil so he can propagate his species with a pretty polly that quickly has his heart a-flutter. A bright flight of fancy that makes an hour and a half fly by."
Neil Smith TOTAL FILM
"There's something for all ages in this life-affirming joyous animation, where our toes tap, our hearts are uplifted and spirits soar as friendships blossom and wings are spread."
Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE
"As irresistible as the samba and bossa nova rhythms that pulsate throughout, this sunny animation from the Ice Age team is a vibrantly colourful and hugely enjoyable eye-catcher. Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha ensures his flock of engaging characters (including a villainous cockatoo and a constantly drooling bulldog) soar from Busby Berkeley-style beginning to spectacular Carnaval finale."
Alan Jones RADIO TIMES
"The setting constantly diverts, supplying some terrific sights and sounds (there are some rousing, samba-inspired dance numbers) and it’s made with considerable affection, zest and good humour. The characters are likeable and fun, including an ebullient toucan, Rafaeln, and the fast-pace and numerous action sequences don’t allow for boredom. A simple but effective fish-out-of-water adventure about a highly domesticated blue macaw, Blu."
Henry Fitzherbert DAILY EXPRESS
"Director Carlos Saldanha previously made Ice Age and deserves the move to a warmer climate. The colours are gorgeous, the voice actors perky (Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway). I did not even resent the fact that the film’s villain, a sneery sulphur-crested cockatoo, is named Nigel."
Nigel Andrews FINANCIAL TIMES
"A lively South American beat infuses this colourful animated romp. The filmmakers make the most of the characters and settings without ever trying to teach us a lesson or make us cry. It's just great fun. It's refreshing to have a movie like this that just aims to entertain us. And we hope they'll be back for more."
Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL
"The animation is lively and colourful throughout, with the animators making good use of the various Rio locations. Lively, enjoyable and frequently funny adventure that soars thanks to a witty script, delightful animation. With a terrific voice cast and a frequently funny script, Rio is a hugely enjoyable, well written and superbly animated adventure that should appeal to both adults and children alike."
Matthew Turner VIEW LONDON
"Rio, for all of its hyper-coloured art design, 3D trickery and big name voices, is actually really sweet. Eisenberg, known more for his smarmy wit than cute and cuddly voice work, makes a rather inspired choice for Blu. Together with Hathaway, whose gentle coos are suited to animation, they make a surprisingly enjoyable pair Provides enough excitement and unabashed joy that allows its brisk 90 minutes to drift on by in a haze of neon-coloured feathers and catchy tunes."
Glenn Dunks TRESPASS MAGAZINE
The Inside Story
"Rio" was born from the imagination of filmmaker Carlos Saldanha, who co¬directed or directed the animated hits "Ice Age", "Robots". After completing work on the second 'IA' film, "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and during pre-production on "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs", Saldanha came up with the idea that would ultimately blossom into "Rio". He wanted to write a love letter to his hometown of Rio, with a story about a nerdy, highly domesticated bird who goes on the adventure of a lifetime in that wondrous world. "I spent years working on the 'Ice Age' films and had a great time in that world and living with those wonderful characters," Saldanha explained. But he says, "Rio" is "an even more personal journey for me. "Carlos's passion for the project, and to take us into this world he envisioned, was contagious," says producer John C Donkin ("Robots"). "Everything you’ll see on screen began with that passion." To fully realize the scope and breadth of this magical world and vivid characters, Saldanha brought together an all-star voice cast, led by Oscar® nominees Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg, Oscar and Grammy® winner Jamie Foxx, acclaimed musical artist will.i.am, actor-musician Jemaine Clement, comedic actress Les lie Mann, and actor, comedian, talk show host George Lopez. Additionally, Saldanha and his teams at Blue Sky Studios created cutting-edge tools of animation and 3D to create an immersive experience. The filmmakers further envelop the action and audiences with a combination of Brazilian sounds and contemporary American music. The soundtrack features a stellar musical cast led by will.i.am (of the Black Eyed Peas), Jamie Foxx, Bebel Gilberto, Taio Cruz, Ester Dean, Siedah Garrett, Jemaine Clement, and famed Brazilian percussionist Carlinhos Brown, along with film composer John Powell: all performing under the guidance of Brazilian music legend and RIO’s executive music producer, Sergio Mendes. "Rio's" hero is Blu, a highly domesticated macaw who is very special, on two counts. First, he's the last male of his kind and second, he's never learned to fly. "Blu’s emotional, comical and physical journey is the film’s heart and core," says Saldanha. "He’s a fish out of water." Blu’s journey begins in the not-so-domesticated Brazilian jungle, where as a nestling, he’s experiencing the joyous musical melodies of hundreds of birds flying and swooping around him. The sounds inspire the baby Blu to initiate his first attempt at flight, which is abruptly cut short when he and several other birds are captured by smugglers. The next thing he knows is, he’s living comfortably in a small town in Minnesota with his owner and best friend Linda, voiced by Leslie Mann ("Knocked Up"). Linda has adopted Blu, who’d been transported by the smugglers to her wintry world, where fate intervened and Linda resued him. Now, Blu and Linda are inseparable. In the sheltered comfort and familiarity of Linda’s home and bookstore, Blu thrives; in fact, he’s become so domesticated, he’s more human than bird. "Blu leads a protected life," notes Eisenberg ("Zombieland"). "He’s very smart, reads everything, and is very analytical. But none of that helps him fly." Indeed, Blu thinks he can use his formidable brainpower to take flight, but alas, he crashes during each attempt. "Blu has a checklist, a pile of books about the science of aeronautics, and a mountain of advanced math equations in which he’s quadrated vector angles: adjusting for wind shear, of course," Eisenberg notes. "But it doesn’t work, because no book can unlock the art of flying for a bird." Only through the rhythm of Blu’s heart can he rediscover his roots.
Despite his frustrations at being unable to fly, Blu and Linda are content. "They lead a simple life together in Minnesota. Linda is a homebody and Blu is her pal, and they’re very happy," Mann (who played Robin Harris in "The Cable Guy") revealed. But their lives are turned upside-down with the arrival of Dr Tulio Barbosa, an eccentric scientist who has traveled halfway around the world, from Rio to the U.S. So, what's the purpose of his trip? Tulio wants Blu to come to Rio to meet the last female Blue macaw, named Jewel. "Tulio loves birds; he’s connected to them," says Santoro (who won back to back Prêmio Qualidade awards in 2001 & '02). "And he wants the macaws to continue. So he works very hard to persuade Linda and Blu to make the long journey to Rio." Convincing Linda isn't an easy job, as mother of two Mann (Maude & Iris Apatow) pointed out. "They’re not 'pack up and go to Brazil' types. They’re more like, 'Let’s go down the street to the waffle restaurant' kind of people. Blu and Linda really don’t get out much, and traveling to a distant land scares them both." But not half as scary as when Blu and Jewel have first introduced. Jewel is fiercely independent and hates the idea of being stuck in a contained environment. "She rejects having any kind of limitations put on her," says two time NBR Award winning actress, Anne Hathaway ("Nicholas Nickleby" & "Rachel Getting Married"), who voices Jewel. "She likes to have things her way. Being the last of her kind has made Jewel a survivor: and she wants to keep it that way. Blu represents many things that Jewel dislikes. In some ways, she looks at his domesticated lifestyle and inability to fly as a sell-out, and she judges him harshly." Of course all that could be translated as, Jewel has relationship problems. Arriving in Rio and experiencing the sensory overload of its colors, sounds and environs, Blu is completely out of his Minnesota comfort zone. Safely contained in his cage, Blu meets his first friends in Rio: Nico, a canary, voiced by Jamie Foxx, and Pedro, a cardinal, voiced by will.i.am. Encountering these high-flying birds adds to Blu’s culture shock, but he’s also intrigued by the diminutive duo’s 'bigger than life' personalities. Nico and Pedro are equally curious about Blu. "Nico loves life and music,” says Oscar winner Foxx ("Ray"). "He’s a little guy who thinks big. Nico and Pedro supply the wild side to Blu’s new life in Rio: so they’re wondering; why is this guy in a cage?" Foxx particularly welcomed the opportunity to collaborate, for the first time, with his longtime friend will.i.am. "It was great to connect with Will and watch him go to work as a musician and as an actor." The two performers thespian and musical collaborations are some of the film’s many highlights, including a big scene set in a Brazilian club, where Nico and Pedro energize the crowd with a rousing number titled "Hot Wings-I Wanna Party" co-written by The Black Eyed Peas front man. "My character, Pedro, likes fusing samba, hip-hop and electro, and making a new jungle mash-up of techno and classical rhythms," will.i.am ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") notes. The Nico-Pedro dynamic was one of the film’s many happy surprises and didn't go unnoticed. "You could feel the wonderful comedic and musical energy when Jamie and will were recording together," producer Bruce Anderson ("Horton Hears a Who!") says. Of course, amongst all this fun and new found adventure there has to be a 'baddie'. In "Rio", it's the smugglers’ chief henchman: a cockatoo from Down Under named Nigel; voiced by 'Flight of the Conchords', Jemaine Clement. "A story is only as good as its villain," says Saldanha, "and we think Nigel is a great bad guy."
Saldanha and the screenwriters gave Nigel an intriguing and unexpected backstory to make their cockatoo really stand out. "Nigel is an ex-soap opera star who still holds a grudge about losing a role, years earlier, to a much younger and 'prettier' bird," Saldanha notes. "Nigel is very dramatic, very dry, and very, very funny." "Nigel is embittered. He was once a successful and good-looking bird. But his physical appearance changed to reflect his inner evildoer. And believe me, Nigel is not a good guy. Any chance he gets to do something evil, he’ll take it. He eats chicken!", Clement ("Dinner for Schmucks") revealed. "What kind of bird eats chicken?" "Jemaine really owned Nigel," says Anderson. "He added all these wonderful alliterations and textures to the character’s voice, personality and attitude." The film's technical and design teams also made critical contributions, giving their villain a kind of lived-in, beaten-up look, including patches where he’s missing feathers, and a distinct and expressive crest." George Lopez, voices Rafael, a helpful toucan who is not only married but has seventeen kids! Rafael, who Lopez calls 'the voice of Rio', decides he'll take Blu under his wing. Rafael wants Blu to feel the macaw’s own beating heart because, as Rafael says: "that’s the only way Blu is going to fly." Rafael tells Blu that flying comes from the rhythm of the heart," the 2004 Imagen Foundation Award winner, Lopez says. "Blu must connect his heart to his mind, and only then will he truly soar and discover the hero inside." Among Rafael’s friends is garage-owner, Luiz, who it turns-out is not a fine-feathered friend, but a bulldog. With a rare distinction: unlike most members of his species Luiz resists the temptation to chase birds. The musical artists in "Rio" were cast with the same care as the actors; in fact, in several cases, those two areas intersected. Leading the musical contributions is "Hot Wings (I Wanna Party)", an original song by will.i.am (the redheaded bird, Pedro) that he sings with his 'sidekick' Jamie Foxx (the canary, Nico). R&B/pop star Taio Cruz contributes an original song, "Telling the World", which captures the film’s beating heart. Sergio Mendes adds a new recording of his classic bossa nova smash hit with Brasil ’66, "Mas Que Nada". Mendes, who serves as the film’s executive music producer, brought in Carlinhos Brown ("Lower City") to further shape Rio's music and sound. Hathaway notes "Rio" has, "a totally modern sound, and it was amazing to experience this coming together of styles to create a new kind of 'fusion music'; it all adds wonderful textures to our story." For Mendes, "Rio" proved especially rewarding. "Carlos’s passion for this film has been inspiring, and it’s been a joy to watch him bring it to the screen. I have spent much of my life exploring the musical wonders of this world, and "Rio" has been another exciting path on that journey." The cast and filmmakers were similarly inspired by the chance to collaborate with Mendes and the other artists and create a grand journey. One that ends with Blu, Jewel, their new friends and Linda, converging in a sequence set during the spectacular celebration of Carnaval. Music, color, scope, parades, floats, swooping birds and fifty thousand human 'extras' filling a stadium, all make for an epic finale to a tale about a world where the celebration never ends and adventure takes flight. Hathaway ("Get Smart") says it's "all about getting out of your own way and pushing expectations aside: of being in the moment and letting yourself fly."
What's It All About?
 Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who was taken by bird smugglers before he developed a skill for flying. When Blu discovers he's the last male of his kind he leaves the comforts of his cage in the snowy town of Moose Lake, Minnesota and heads to Rio with Linda and Dr Barbosa, to meet a rare parrot and hopefully, fall in love with a female of his kind. But it's far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life's many wonders. "Rio" brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music.
The Verdict
"In the tradition of the best of grand, heart-felt, animated adventures, "Rio" is an absolute standout. Anyone (no matter what their age may be) who loved the madcap adventures of Manny, Sid and Diego in the "Ice-Age" trilogy, won't be left wanting. And, if you're comptemplating whether or not to spend the extra bucks on the 3D version, let me assure you: "Rio" features some of the most spectacular 3D work seen on the screen in a long while, even surpassing that of the Oscar winning "UP". But there's another huge hook for audiences. It's one that really sets "Rio" apart: the wonderful music and the smashing songs, some of which will have you fighting off a near uncontrolable urge to vacate your seat and samba down the aisle carnival style. Believe me when I make this observation: from the moment the film's soundtrack reaches your eardrums, you'll be champing at the bit, wanting to charge out of the theatre and seek out your very own copy of the "Rio" OST CD. "Rio" is a riot of colour, fun, larger than life animated characters (voiced superbly by a star-studded cast) and features a massive finale` that will have your spirit souring to new heights. Spread your wings and fly with Blu and Jewel to "Rio". Massive fun for all ages. Top shelf. 5 STARS."
Who Is Playing Who?
Anne Hathaway
Jesse Eisenberg
Gracinha Leporance
Jamie Foxx
will i Am
Phil Miler
Jake T. Austin
Jemaine Clement
George Lopez
Tracy Morgan
Bebel Gilberto
Karen Disher
Jason Fricchione
Sofia Scarpa Saldanha
Leslie Mann
Kelly Keaton
Wanda Sykes
Jane Lynch
Rodrigo Santoro
Bernardo de Paula
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Jewel
Blu
Dr Barbosa
Nico
Pedro
Aviary Intern/Waiter
Fernando
Nigel
Rafael
Luiz
Eva
Mother Bird
Truck Driver
Young Linda
Linda
Bookstore Customer/Lady Tourist
Chloe (The Goose)
Alice (The Other Goose)
Tulio/Soccer Announcer
Sylvio/Kipo
The Production Team
Directed by Carlos Saldanha
Screenplay Don Rhymer
Produced by Bruce Anderson & John C. Donkin
Original Music by John Powell
Cinematography by Renato Falcão
Set Decoration by Melanie Martini
Run Time 96 minutes
Rated G [AUST]
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